View: Better without one player – Bilic may have found the answer to his defensive problems
West Brom are yet to settle on a system that works for them in the Premier League and sit 18th in the table as a result.
Switching between a three and four at the back system, the players have often looked confused and even demotivated. The match against Fulham was the nadir for Slaven Bilic and his team and he was happy to see a turnaround of sorts against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.
Despite the 1-0 defeat, there were plenty of things to like about the performance, with the Baggies offering more threat in attack and limiting Spurs to five shots on target. While expected goals has Spurs creating 1.6 xG to West Brom’s 0.8 (via FBRef), the balance of threat appeared relatively equal, with the Baggies unable to fashion a shot from some of their better attempts.
Furthermore, in the moments where Spurs did create dangers, West Brom were often able to recover and clear. A key part of this was the system, but also the excellent play of centre-back Semi Ajayi. Over the 90 minute display the Nigerian made six tackles, which includes stopping the two players that dribbled at him, three blocks and two clearances (via FBRef).
With the ball at his feet he was equally impressive, completing 28 passes at 82.4% accuracy, while also making three progressive passes for 152 yards in total. He also carried the ball 23 times for a total of 69 yards (via FBRef).
The 27-year-old has been inconsistent at times this season, but on Sunday he showed just how good he can be. While Branislav Ivanovic is a highly experienced defender, his lack of pace requires the Baggies to sit deeper and defend their own box. However, the relative athleticism of Ajayi, Kyle Bartley and Dara O’Shea allowed them to be more aggressive and this in turn helped their attack.
This is not to say that any of them are better players than Ivanovic, but his absence due to testing positive for COVID-19 allowed Bilic to have a look at another system. Now, this is a system that he abandoned earlier in the season, but if Ajayi can continue to excel in this role, maybe the Croatian will stick with it going forward.
In other West Brom news, ‘My message to the players’ – Bilic reveals key takeaway following defeat v Spurs